Reaper's Reason
by idiot.of.wanderlust
Summary: My ME3 ending fix it. I might end up adding more later. The star child did not control the Reapers. It was something completely different. I do not own or profit from the Mass Effect franchise in anyway.


**A/N: So here is my ME3 fix it. (and my first published fanfic)I know everyone is probably going to end up doing their own so I figured I should get mine out there before the idea become too popular. I crunched this out in several hours, so I might end up coming back and editing it or adding some more, so criticism is appreciated. I apologize for not having the Illusive man scene in there, but I just couldn't get it right. Also the ending seems a bit abrupt… but yeah like I said I might come back and add some.**

**Just for reference, I made my Shepard as general as possible… so he really has no class or background (Although it resembles Soldier)**

Shepard gazed over his team, his comrades and friends. All of his struggles, their struggles were coming to a culmination. As he spoke he could not help but be reminded of what he had said when the Defense Committee had asked him back on Earth what their plan was. Stand together. That is what they had done. Human, Turian, Asari, Quarian, even Prothean; they all stood here with him to show the reapers that they will not go quietly into the night so easily! He paused and stopped by each of them looking them in the eyes. James with his stoic face but eyes that restrained mischief, Ashley who met his gaze with cold confidence as equals, Garrus with his cocky attitude silently lending his support, Tali who had been through so much, who he knew was terrified but was standing here regardless, Edi face blank, but whose eyes somehow managed to betray a camaraderie that he had never had with a synthetic, Liara with her clam face born on newfound maturity and experience, a far cry from the naïve girl he had met on Therum, and Javik the last voice of his people who was to reap their vengeance; These men and women were about to change the fate of every living creature alive in the galaxy because failure was not an option.

"We face our enemy together, and together we will defeat them!"

His final words were met with reassured confidence as they stood together one final time before they plunged once more into the breach.

/

Shepard easily fell into what Thane would probably have called a battle sleep. His team worked like a well-oiled machine. No words were needed as Edi overloaded marauder shields while Garrus sniped them in the heads. Ashley provided covering fire for James who leapt forward and bowled over Cannibals while Liara set singularities sweeping up hordes of husks and detonated them with warps. Tali guarded their right flank and Javik their left. The sweep into no man's land was quick and decisive. His only worry was the Krogan forces led by Wrex on their right flank. That was where the heaviest resistance was and if they didn't hold then the missile batteries would be overwhelmed in minutes.

Pushing thoughts from his head Shepard led his team into the building where reaper forces were congregating. "Stay sharp. We need to clear this building. Watch the corners and-"

Shepard was cut short when not only husks came into view but the roar of a Brute as well. "James, Ashley, Tali the husks!" he barked out. The rest of them would need to concentrate on this hulking monster. Shepard ploughed so much fire into the beast that his assault rifle overheated within seconds. Liara and Javik were attempting to delay the charge with their biotics. Shepard dropped his rifle and as he pulled out his high powered pistol, and lobbed a grenade right into the things face. Garrus and Edi were pouring fire into the thing as well and Shepard calmly unloaded several clips into the Brute before it broke free from the biotics. Even as it began to charge Shepard pulled into a dead out sprint right at it. Even as he unloaded rounds into the thing it reared its arms back to plough him into a wall. Shepard leaped and as the huge arm sailed below him and his omni-tool's rapid manufacture system materialized a blade which he thrust into the thing's head as it bowled into him. Beneath him Shepard could feel the abomination of a creature give a shudder as it fell and skidded across the floor with him clutching to its head like a vulture. He slowly climbed off as the adrenaline pumped through him and bent to pick up his rifle.

Then the shout of, "Another one!" made him whirl as a roar sounded through the enclosed space. But even as he turned he saw grenades and biotics sailing through the air and a huge explosion rung through the air as the front of the Brute seemed to be blown out. He chuckled maybe his theatrics had inspired his team a little.

Their path through the rest of the buildings and alley ways blended together into a mass of corpses, expunged thermal clips, and a weariness that was beginning to pervade them at the sight of such a ruined metropolis. The sight of the blackened telephone booths with their red paint and lewd advertisements brought a pang as he realized that not even a year ago people would be walking these streets laughing, teenagers spraying graffiti, tourists looking around in wonder, couples enjoying a night for themselves.

He continued on.

/

The Missile Batteries were in sight and Shepard cursed in every language he knew. The street was littered with Reaper forces like they were trash and there was virtually no cover. He needed to get to Edi so she could establish an uplink to the Normandy so that the targeting systems aided by her processing power could penetrate the energy field surrounding the Reaper. They would have to make a push and make it fast. There were a few barricades where they could establish flanking positions to the battery while Edi worked, but between here and there was very little cover.

"Liara, Garrus, Edi, you're with me. Ashley you're in charge of the second team. We're going to flank them in a pincer, catch them in the crossfire. Javik keep an eye out for any targets suspended by Liara's singularities. We want as many of the biotic explosions going off in that crowd as possible. Edi and Tali need to focus on the Marauder shields. Aim for the head people, we don't have time or clips to waste."

With his small squad Shepard crept across the street sticking to the shadows. When he was in position he said into his radio, "On my mark, three, two, one, mark" Both teams rushed into the street guns spitting fire like it was going out of style. Edi was setting of overload chains catching 2 sometimes 3 Marauders all in one hit. Tali was draining them just as fast as her drone Chiktikka darted between the surrounded foes sowing more confusion. Liara had already thrown up 3 singularities and Javik was pounding the suspended foes into the ground with prejudice between bouts of rifle fire causing tremors that had the top heavy Cannibals fighting for footing. Garrus was providing sniper cover as Ashley sprayed fire into mass of bodies. James charged into the left flank foucault currents glowing as he unloaded his shotgun.

"Shepard!" the gravelly voice of Urdnot Wrex growled in his ear.

"Yeah Wrex?" Shepard yelled as he fired.

"A platoon of forces slipped our Flank through a Barricade. We have it shored up now but you have incoming from the West."

"Shit." Was all Shepard got out his mind racing They needed to get finished fast.

"EDI with me! Shepard called as and together they ducked the crossfire and dodged from barricade to barricade providing covering fire when able. Soon they reached the Battery and Shepard hollered, "Get the uplink started I'll cover you!"

"Understood Shepard," was EDI's calm reply. Shepard was cycling through heat sinks so fast that the ones that hit the ground were hardly cooled before the next joined it. The enemies were dwindling but to the south west more were pouring in. "South West!" was all Shepard needed to say as he pulled out his sniper. He started dropping targets as fast as his gun would fire occasionally taking up the pistol he had laid at his side to take out a husk that had gotten too close.

"I have established an uplink Commander." EDI's voice rose above the gunfire.

"Fire it!" Shepard shouted as he cycled another heat sink that left a dark scorch mark down the barricade. The sound of rockets firing mere second later told Shepard it had worked, but everyone watched in dismay as the missiles veered and missed. "EDI! What just happened?"

"The Reaper is still too close to the transport beam. We must wait until the Reaper is closer before the targeting systems will be effective," she said calmly firing her SMG.

"And how long is that going to take?"

"15 minutes."

"Fuck." 15 minutes might as well have been an eternity in combat. Then it just got worse.

"Shepard do you read me this is Jack?"

"Yeah."

"The 103rd is getting hammered here. We aren't going to be able to hold much longer. A couple of those Shit-faced Asari fuckers already slipped our barrier and are headed your way."

"Fuck it all." Shepard cursed. "Jack take your students and do a biotic artillery strike It should buy the marines a couple of minutes."

"That'll tire us out. We won't be able to maintain any barriers worth Shit for after that and the marines will get torn apart."

"I'm sending Miranda your way," was Shepard's terse reply. They already had to deal with Banshees. If the east flank fell as well his squad was royally screwed.

Shepard switched channels, "Miranda this is Shepard do you read me?"

He waited a moment before the reply came, "Miranda here Shepard."

"I need you and your squad to reinforce the south eastern border. If they fall my squad and I are going to get overwhelmed and the Missile Batteries aren't going to be ready to go off for another 15 minutes."

"Got it."

Now he could only pray that the strategy worked.

From the west Brutes suddenly emerged from the alley just as he heard the distant scream of a banshee.

"Motherfu- Ashley you take Liara, Tali, and Edi to take down those Brutes. Everyone else we got the Banshee. Take cover inside that store." Shepard growled out.

They had just managed to get to cover when the blue glow of a Banshee crested over a wall along with even more ground troops.

"James focus on the troops. Garrus, Javik hit that screamer with everything you've got." Shepard was already unloading his sniper into its head. The mutated Asari glowed as it prepared to teleport when Shepard heard the bark of Garrus's concussive shot which stopped the thing in its tracks. It probably bought them a few extra seconds.

But Shepard could only groan as he saw a second Banshee crest over the wall. "Garrus Javik take care of this one. I'll get the other."

Shepard leapt the wall and carefully circled the mutant under fire by his two comrades. He stowed his sniper and pulled out both a pistol and his SMG. Firing both he could only hope that he could pull off some kind of miracle taking one of these solo.

Because of his fire the mutant immediately turned to him and prepared to teleport. "Shit shit shit."

The thing was suddenly not 5 feet away from him. And it _screamed_. Shepard felt like his head was going to split. The sound penetrated his brain and made his eyes feel like they were about to burst. All he knew was he needed it to stop! So he took a step forward and punched the thing in its face.

The sound immediately cut out, and he suspected that it was a bit surprised because it stumbled back several steps, but Shepard didn't stay to watch. He was already sprinting away his SMG firing over his shoulder as he dodged debris and barricades. He chanced a glance back in time to see the thing preparing another teleport.

"Fuck" This time it appeared right in front of him and its arm shot out to gut him. Shepard dropped his SMG and spun reaching for his belt. The talons of the mutant scraped the side of his armor and as he reached the apex of his jump he took the grenade he had grabbed and shoved it down the creature's throat. At the same moment he took aim with his pistol and shot the thing in its eye. The former Asari reeled back from the point blank blast and Shepard was already backing up when the grenade went off. The blast threw him off his feet and he cracked into a wall nearly blacking out. Coughing to regain his breath Shepard observed his handiwork as the body of the banshee no longer had anything above its stomach attached.

He was brought from his stunned observation by Liara over the radio, "Shepard there is an incoming Harvester!"

Shepard could no longer utter curses and just ran. He remembered vaguely passing what looked like a Hydra missile launcher. And apparently now was the time to check if it had any ammo left. His pistol spat out slugs into the heads of husks as he sprinted to the rubble where he had seen the glimpse of white. The Harvester was already landing and his squad was opening fire even as the giant flying monstrosity began spitting red beams of death. Shepard was forced to dodge one of these concussive blasts that caused concrete to rain down on him before he reached the missile launcher.

It had ammo! He could only thank whatever deity was out there for the fortune that smiled upon him. He rolled under another red beam that bolted towards him and immediately started charging it. The great satisfaction he felt at the massive explosions that rocked the winged monster was only matched by the relief he felt when EDI said, "Shepard, the Reaper is now in range of the missiles.

He turned and immediately began sprinting for the control panel. Before he made 10 feet he saw the Reaper destroyer begin to charge it's red beam weapon. He dodged to the side and was blown from his feet. "Goddamn it."

Shepard climbed back to his feet making sure to keep an eye on the Reaper. As he wended his way through the ruins of the street ducking around the reaper forces and the giant red beam, he finally made it to the missile battery to set it off. "Hit it with everything you've got!" Missiles from all direction went off, and Shepard even thought he saw a Cain go off. The sight of the reaper going down elicited cheers that rang over battlefield.

"Shepard!" Looking up Shepard saw Anderson jogging towards him.

"Squad form up!" Shepard ordered as everyone came back from being spread out. "Anderson," he greeted the admiral.

"Shepard Hackett is bringing in the Crucible, but the reapers are descending toward us. We have to get to the transport beam now!"

Shepard nodded, "We've got one more push team. We need to get to the that beam. Move out."

/

Wake up!

The voice jerked Shepard awake. How was he still alive? He opened his eyes and stared. The little child he had watched die on earth was standing above him, in the form of a white hologram. "What?"

"What?"

_Get up Shepard_

"Who are you?" Shepard asked struggling upright.

_We are that which you call the catalyst. _

"Wait, I thought the citadel was the catalyst."

_The citadel is where we were placed. We are the last voice of our people._

"Your people?" Shepard asked confused. He looked human.

_I take this form because it has significant meaning to you. My people were the ones who built the citadel, the mass relays, those which you know as Reapers._

"Your people created the Reapers? Why?" Shepard could not understand. Why would anyone create sentient starships that wanted to wipe out all life.

_My people had mastered this galaxy. We planned to use the Reapers to travel and explore other galaxies. We made them sentient so they could operate without pilots. Sentient machines were common in our time. Within their core programming we made sure their highest directive was the preservation of our species. _

"So how did they come to wipe out all life in the galaxy every fifty thousand years?"

_They reached a flawed conclusion. They thought the Universal law of entropy was the imperative of existence. Organic life is the opposite of chaos. We impose order upon that which would devolve into random chance. The Reapers sought to correct this by immortalizing our form as one of themselves before wiping us from existence._

"But they themselves are sentient. How can they justify their own existence?"

_They claim they are static. They claim to be the guardians of entropy, the universal imperative. And so to preserve life in any form possible while fulfilling this objective they immortalize the sentient races as Reapers._

The idea stunned Shepard. How could the Reapers believe they were saving sentient life by destroying it? He shook his head. It didn't matter. The Reapers were wrong, or at least wrong by the standards of any organic race. He just needed to figure out how to activate the crucible. "So what now? How do we destroy the reapers?"

_We have watched through the eons as each race has added to these plans, some more than others. We were the ones who first placed the seed, who placed the idea into the minds of those races who found the citadel. All that remains is for the energy within us to activate the signal. It will wipe the reapers sentience from existence; kill their very minds. But in the process our voice will be extinguished. The last voice of our people will utter its last words today. We only ask that you remember us and pass on our message. That we are sorry for the pain we have caused, for the trillion trillion lives lost to our greed and hubris. We tried to create life, and then enslave it. All life organic or synthetic should self-determinate, and the result of our mistake cost us our own lives and the lives of thousands of civilizations after us. Please all we ask is that you spread our apology._

With that the little child disappeared. Shepard blinked "Wait, there must be something-" But he was suddenly blinded as the white beam in front of him pulsed. Shepard fell, and he knew no more.


End file.
